Ments



'Feb. 11, 1930. A. MESSER 'FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION SEAL Filed April 1929 INVENTOR. fibrin/2a Messer Patented Feb. 11, 1930 UNETED STATES PATENT @FFICE ABRAHAM: MESSEE, OF NEXK YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGN- MEETS, T JACOB SCI-IIERER, 0F NEVT YORK, N. Y.

FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION SEAL Application filed April 4, 1929.

sion of a device of the class mentioned which is of simple durable construction, dependable in use and etlicient in action, and which can be manufactured and sold at reasonable cost.

The invention proposes a flat bendable strip with lateral protuberances having a finger print or prints impressed on one or on both sides and the strip to have sealing means at both ends for joining thru an opening in a fur skin or other article after the strip is bent about the edge of the article. This arrangement provides a positive means for identifying the particular merchandise upon which the seal is arranged. This merchandis may be furs, cloth, hats or other articles such as mail or other sealed packages and is intended for use by manufacturers during the process of manufacturing the said articles particularly if one of the steps of manufacturing requires the sending out of the merchandise to different concerns where exchange or fraud would be possible.

In the case of cloth goods, a seal may be attached at each end of the roll of cloth for insuring that a piece has not been cut off. Dependance cannot be had on the measur ment of the cloth since the dimension changes during various treatments such as sizing or sponging. In the case of furs, de-- pendance cannot be had upon color or appearance since the furs may be bleached, colored or tanned and present different ap pearances.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fur skin Serial No. 352,404.

provided with an identification seal constructed according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View of another article provided with the same kind of a seal.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 38 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a developed plan View of the identification seal, per se. Fig. 5 is a side elevational view thereof.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4; but illustrating a modified form. f

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to a portion of Fig. 4 disclosing a modified form.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but of another modified form.

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the seal shown in Fig. 8 but in bent condition as when applied upon goods.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the device shown in partly folded position.

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally a fur skin and numeral 11 a finger print seal engaged on one edge thereof. In Fig. 2 numeral 12 indicates any other article which is also provided with the same kind of a seal indicated by numeral 11. This seal is engaged around the edge of the article as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The free ends of the seal are fastened together as at 13 thru an aperture 14 in the material upon which it is engaged.

The seal 11 consists of a flat bendable strip of material 15 preferably of white metal and formed with a lateral protuberance 16 having a finger print 17 impressed on one or on both of its sides. A customers number such as No. 24 shown in Fig. 4 may be impressed upon the strip for indicating a particular firm using the seal. The ends of the strip are formed with a sealing means indicated generally by reference numerals 18.

The sealing means 1S consists of an upward embossed cup portion at one of the ends of the strip and a downward embossed cup portion on the other end of the strip. The points at which the cup portions oin the main portion of the strip may be considered as the base, and the cups are tapered from this base converging to their outer ends.

When the strip is bent at its center, one of the cups engages into the other of the cups and in this engaged fashion the cups may be simultaneously flattened out by hammering to lock the seal in closed position.

Itis pointed out that when the seal is thus engaged about the edge of merchandise the finger print or prints upon the enlarged portion of the strip necessarily is slightly distorted. This prevents counterfeiters from correctly copying the particular finger print and producing counterfeit seals. In Fig. 3 the cup portions 18 have been shown fiattened together in their locked condition. It is quite obvious that should anyone attempt to remove the seal for placing the same upon another article it would be required to break the material of the strip at the cup portions and detection is quite easy then.

In the modified form of the device illustrated in Fig. 6, a strip 15 has been illustrated formed with a plurality of lateral protuberances 16, preferably an odd number of such protuberances should be provided so that when the strip is bent in the center for engaging upon an article, at least one of the enlarged portions of the strip is bent so as to distort a finger print impressed thereon. It is proposed to impress these finger prints into the metal with a metallic die. This arrangement provides several enlarged portions upon which the said finger prints may be impressed and they may be different finger prints or the same on each.

In the modified form of the device illustrated in Fig. 7 a star shaped portion 18 has been shown at the end of the strip 15. The other end of the strip is similarly constructed and the star shaped portions serve as the sealing means for sealing the strip in a bent condition. After the strip has been sealed and the star portions flattened out for provid ing the sealing action they may not be separated without causing damage which is readily detectable.

In the modified form of the device illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, a strip 15 has been shown provided with a lateral protuberance 16 and end sealing means 18. A very stiff plate 20 ispivotally mounted at the center portion of the enlarged portion of the strip by means of an eyelet 21. A finger print 17 is impressed partially upon the stiff plate 20 and partially upon the portion of the strip. The plate 20 is rotatable and maintains a flat Condition even after the strip 15 has been bent about the edge of an article. Fig. 9 shows this condition of the device.

It is pointed out that the plate 20 will offer resistance to counterfeiters attempting to duplicate the impression upon the seal. With one impression they cannot obtain both the portions of the finger print on the strip and on the plate. It would be necessary to break the sealing means 18 and rebend the strip 15 to aflat condition before a substantially true impression could be obtained of the complete finger print. A true impression is impossible since the strip could not be bent back to its original condition in so perfect a fashion that the finger print will not contain some distortion.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is 1. A finger print seal, comprising a fiat bendable strip with a lateral protuberance having an impressed finger print on one side, and means for sealing the ends of the strip together after it has been bent about the edge of an article.

2. A finger print seal, comprising a fiat bendable strip with a plurality of lateral protuberances having impressed finger prints, and means for sealing the ends of the strip together after it has been bent about the edge of an article.

3. A finger print seal, comprising a flat bendable strip, a means for sealing the ends together, a very stiff plate secured intermediate of the ends of the strip, and an impressed finger print partially on the strip and the remainder on the said plate.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

ABRAHAM MESSER. 

